Fendi at Shanghai Exhibition Hall — FENDI Spring/Summer 2021 Couture Show (2021)

Shanghai Exhibition Hall, a 1950s exhibition complex in central Jing'an, hosted FENDI's Spring/Summer 2021 couture show and an archive display.

The venue

Shanghai Exhibition Hall is a large exhibition complex on Yan'an Middle Road in central Jing'an, built in the 1950s with a Soviet-influenced central axis, spire and formal forecourt. Its halls, colonnades and courtyards normally carry trade fairs, consumer exhibitions, ceremonies and cultural events, and the site's long approach plus large interior volumes let organisers separate arrival, display and staging areas.

How the space was used

For the show the complex was read as a sequence: guests arrived across the forecourt, passed through the entrance halls and entered the main presentation space, where the collection was shown and a selection of archive pieces was displayed. Interior circulation kept arrival, seating and backstage apart, and the outer grounds served as the pre-event area.

Why it works here

The hall's institutional scale and symmetrical plan suit couture presentations, which need a long arrival sequence, controlled lighting and a large clear interior. Its central location keeps it reachable for press and clients, and its existing exhibition infrastructure supports a runway alongside a parallel archive display.